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Biomedical subjects

E Florvaag

Publications and source records attributed to E Florvaag.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Comparative studies on tree pollen allergens. XIII. Partial characterization of the alder (Alnus incana) pollen extract by two-dimensional IEF/SDS-PAG electrophoresis combined with electrophoretic transfer and immunoautoradiography.

Horizontal isoelectric focusing (IEF) and two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D SDS-PAGE) combined with electrophoretic transfer (ET) and immunoautoradiography (IAR) were used to characterize the crude alder (Alnus incana) pollen extract (AI crude) and fraction AI 34. IEF resolved AI crude and AI 34 into 34 and 39 distinct protein bands, respectively, when stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. The band patterns were similar and the majority of bands were located in the pH region 4.0-7.0. After ET and IAR, the distribution of antigenic reactivities was similar to that of the protein stain. Allergenic reactivity was detected in the pH region 4.6-5.2 only, where two bands at pH 4.9 demonstrated dominating IgE-binding properties. The 2-D reference maps of AI crude and AI 34 consisted of 40 and 45 protein spots, respectively. The autoradiogram of AI crude demonstrated 35 spots capable of binding rabbit IgG. The main IgE-binding zone was located at pH 4.6-5.2 and 20 kilodaltons with an area of weaker autoradiographic signals at pH 4.6-5.2 and 40 kilodaltons. ET from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose (NC) membranes was quantitative and IAR gave significant radiostaining of spots containing 0.01 and 0.1 microgram of AI crude in the IgG and IgE systems, respectively. For the characterization of the alder pollen extract, horizontal 2-D SDS-PAGE combined with ET and IAR provided a powerful supplement to conventional crossed immuno- and radioimmunoelectrophoretic techniques (CIE/CRIE).

Animals↗

Comparative studies on tree pollen allergens. VIII. Immunological properties of the alder (Alnus incana) pollen extract.

The immunological properties of the aqueous crude alder pollen extract (AI crude) and gel filtration fractions AI 3, AI 4 and AI 34 (pool of fractions AI 3 and AI 4) were examined by immuno- and radioimmuno-electrophoretic techniques, RAST titration, RAST inhibition and skin prick tests (SPT). In CIE, the AI crude extract and AI 34 displayed reference precipitate patterns consisting of 27 and 24 visible Coomassie brilliant blue stained lines, respectively. The CRIE allergogram performed by incubation with 18 individual reaginic sera detected three IgE-binding antigens characterized by different IgE-binding properties. Antigen No. 7 (Ag 7) was demonstrated to be the major IgE antibody-binding antigen of alder pollen, while Ag 1 and Ag 11 were classified as intermediate allergens. The allergens of alder pollen were located in fractions AI 3 and AI 4 of the gel filtration chromatogram. Ag 7 was present in both fractions as demonstrated by FRIE with autoradiography (FRIEWA) on the gel filtration fractions and tandem-CRIE of AI 3 and AI 4. The CRIE allergogram, RAST, RAST inhibition and SPT demonstrated fraction AI 34 to be allergenically representative of the AI crude extract both qualitatively and quantitatively. Thus, fraction AI 34 was considered an optimal purified allergen extract of alder pollen, a suitable material for further biochemical characterization and trials on purification of the allergenic reactive antigens.

Animals↗

Comparative studies on tree pollen allergens. II. Isolation of alder (Alnus incana) pollen allergens: purification and some characteristics of the major allergen pI 4.78.

The aqueous extract of alder (Alnus incana) pollen was found to consist of a protein mixture amounting to 3% of the dry pollen weight. Separation by gel permeation chromatography on an AcA-54 column resulted in 6 fractions designated chronologically to their relative elution volumes (AI 1 to AI 6). The immunological reactivity of these fractions was demonstrated in both IgE and IgG test systems. Being both immunochemically and quantitatively dominant fraction AI 4 was selected for further purification by a semipreparative isoelectric focusing column. A well-resolved and apparently homogeneous component with a pI value of 4.78 was eluted from the IEF column. The homogeneity of this fraction was demonstrated by one sharp band in thin layer IEF, one single band in HVE, one distinct sharp peak in HPLC and a symmetrical precipitate in CIE. The molecular weight was estimated to 22,500 daltons. Fraction pI 4.78 was shown to be a major allergen of alder pollen, it elicited a 1.17 histamine wheal reaction in skin prick test at a concentration of 1 mg . ml-1 and showed a significantly high RAST inhibition in all of the reaginic sera used. Fraction pI 4.78 was found to be an adequate model allergen of alder pollen well suited for further immunochemical characterization.

Allergens↗

Comparative studies on tree pollen allergens. IV. Evaluation of two commercially available allergen extracts of alder (Alnus incana) and birch (Betula verrucosa) pollen.

Two commercially available extracts of alder and birch pollen usually used in clinical allergy were evaluated and correlated to two corresponding reference extracts 'S' produced at the authors' laboratory. The set of extracts produced by ALK, Denmark are referred to as 'A', while those produced by Nyco, Norway are referred to as 'N'. The results of the CIE analysis demonstrated that, upon using the same antibodies, both the morphology and the intensity of the precipitates of the different extracts differed considerably. In the alder pollen extract, the 'N' preparation contained more immunoprecipitate lines than the two others. Extract 'S' contained the least number of antigenic lines. Only two of the antigenic lines bound specific IgE in CRIE and were represented in variable concentrations in the three extracts. These two allergenic precipitation lines were demonstrated to have an immunological reaction of identity as shown by tandem-CIE and tandem-CRIE systems, respectively. In the birch pollen system variable numbers of reproducible antigenic lines of precipitation were demonstrated. Preparation 'A' contained more antigens than the two other extracts. This extract lacked a cathodic antigen with slow electrophoretic mobility represented in 'N' and 'S'. One dominant antigenic line was commonly present in the three extracts and could bind IgE antibodies in the CRIE system. A minor cathodic allergen was shown by CRIE in extracts 'S' and 'N', but not in extract 'A'. The RAST and RAST-inhibition titration experiments in all extracts showed qualitative and quantitative similarities. The amino acid compositions and the carbohydrate analyses showed that extracts 'S' and 'N' were similar while extract 'A' contained higher concentrations of certain amino acids and carbohydrates. In both alder and birch pollen, the reference extract 'S' contained lower concentrations of the nonallergenic antigens and of the low molecular weight contaminants.

Allergens↗

Allergenic synthetic peptide corresponding to the second calcium-binding loop of cod allergen M.

A peptide with the sequence of the second calcium-binding loop (EF loop) of cod Allergen M was synthesized by automatic solid-phase technique. The synthetic peptide corresponded to residues 88-103 of the known primary structure of Allergen M. The immunochemical reactivity of this loop, previously demonstrated for the overlapping enzymic fragments, was confirmed by using the synthetic preparation. The purified hexadecapeptide was shown to bind specifically to reaginic IgE from sera of cod-allergic individuals, in both in vivo and in vitro tests systems. It could also bind rabbit anti-Allergen M, as shown by rocket line immunoelectrophoresis and quantitative precipitation inhibition techniques. The findings emphasized that the immunological reactivity of the synthetic peptide (88-103) was compatible with a monovalent haptenic function: blocking and not eliciting allergic reactions.

Allergens↗

Comparative studies on tree-pollen allergens. I. Isolation and partial characterization of a major allergen from birch pollen (Betula verrucosa).

A major allergen from birch pollen (Betula verrucosa) was isolated by a combination of gel permeation chromatography and preparative isoelectric focusing, and was found adequate for further immunological and chemical characterization. The crude aqueous pollen extract was eluted in 6 UV-absorbance peaks from an Ultrogel AcA-54 column. The main allergenic components were detected in two peaks of molecular weights 29,000 (BV4) and 40,000 daltons, respectively. BV4 contained one quantitatively dominating antigen as assessed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, and was selected for further purification by isoelectric focusing. Column isoelectric focusing of BV4 gave four protein fractions with pI values corresponding to 5.18, 5.42, 5.76, and 5.94. The pI 5.18 protein was quantitatively dominating. This protein inhibited the radio-allergosorbent test in 8 out of 10 sera from birch pollen-sensitive individuals. Using a serum pool, the inhibition curve of BV4 pI 5.18 was parallel to that of the crude extract and gave a similar maximum inhibition. This allergen was shown to be homogeneous as judged by a single, symmetrical precipitate in crossed immunoelectrophoresis, one band in high-volt electrophoresis and a sharp strip in thin-layer analytical electrofocusing. Amino acid analysis showed a high content of serine. The N-terminal analysis as well as the carbohydrate concentration were preliminarily reported and will be confirmed in future studies.

Allergens↗